Kentucky governor GOP primary, other races to watch Tuesday

Spring may be in 2023, but Tuesday is election night in America.

Kentucky Republicans will select their nominee on Tuesday to try to oust Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in the state governorship race in November, the top race of the year.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia will host two back-to-back races that will nominate a Democratic nominee for mayor of Philadelphia — who will ultimately be the overwhelming favorite to win the general election in the sapphire city — and decide who fills a vacancy seat in the state House of Representatives. which could decide which party controls the Chamber.

And in Jacksonville, Fla., a mayoral runoff is looming that will show just how strong Republicans — and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis — are in Florida.

Here are the races to watch on Tuesday night:

Republican gubernatorial primary in Kentucky

The front runner of the night heads to Kentucky, where Attorney General Daniel Cameron, former UN Ambassador Kelly Craft and Agriculture Commissioner Daniel Quarles are vying for a chance to face off against Beshear, who remains popular despite his state’s red color.

The three largely agree on their politics, but slight differences have helped define the breed.

Cameron started the primary as the front-runner and boasted a high profile and close ties to Republican Senate Chairman Mitch McConnell’s strong network. He also entered the race with the backing of former President Donald Trump.

Craft has highlighted her support for Trump and her service in his administration as ambassador to New York, while also spending millions of her own money to boost her campaign. State observers believe Cameron remains the front runner, but Craft’s millions he spent on TV ads to intimidate Cameron helped make the primary a real race.

Craft also won DeSantis support Monday by delivering a shot in the arm in the 11th hour, turning the race into a minor proxy war between Trump and DeSantis, who are expected to clash soon in the Republican presidential primary.

Quarles, on the other hand, has for the most part focused less on personality and more on crafting political platforms for his campaign, posting political positions every week. Should it turn out that Cameron and Craft are undermining each other with increasingly violent attacks, Quarles could benefit.

Turnout for the primary is expected to be low. The Foreign Secretary expects turnout to be around 10%, making the race even more uncertain.

Whoever the candidate is, it will be difficult to unseat Beshear, who was praised for his handling of natural disasters in Kentucky during his first term as governor.

Democratic mayoral primary in Philadelphia

The Democratic primary to replace temporary Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney is becoming a gauge of whether the progressives can maintain their momentum after pivotal victories in Wisconsin and Chicago.

Former council members Helen Gym, Cherelle Parker and Allan Domb, former councilwoman Rebecca Rhynhart and grocery magnate Jeff Brown are the lead candidates for the nomination.

Polls showed a close race among the five voters, with a large proportion of undecided voters looming.

However, Gym has become a favorite of progressive forces across the country campaigning for a “Green New Deal” for local schools, gaining the support of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt has.

Whoever wins the primary will be the overwhelming favorite given the Democrats’ large registration advantage. The primary also offers a chance to decide who might be the first female mayor in the city – which has previously had 99 male mayors.

Special election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Democrats narrowly won back the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections — but that one-seat majority is at risk in a special election on Tuesday.

The Philadelphia-area race will feature Democrat Heather Boyd and GOP nominee Katie Ford and would normally be a safe race after former Rep. Mike Zabel won re-election last year with 65% of the vote before being ousted over allegations of sexual assault harassment resigned.

However, possibly due to the risks of the race or the aftermath of Zabel’s scandal, both Democrats and Republicans are investing heavily in the seat.

Democrats have warned that a Ford victory would allow Republicans not only to let the state legislature act as a deadlock for Gov. Josh Shapiro, but also to introduce a constitutional amendment that would eliminate abortion rights in the state, which Republicans want of the state have disputed.

Runoff for the mayor of Jacksonville

A Jacksonville mayoral runoff is set to serve as a test of the strength of Florida Republicans after big victories in the 2022 midterm elections.

Donna Deegan, a Democrat, and Republican candidate Daniel Davis are fighting for a chance to succeed incumbent Mayor Lenny Curry, a Republican.

The northeast Florida city of nearly one million people is the nation’s largest city with a Republican mayor. The city voted for President Joe Biden in 2020, but last year DeSantis won convincingly.

The polls were tight in the race, which was mostly focused on crime and policing. However, it could also serve as a test of DeSantis’ strength before launching an expected presidential bid after supporting Curry.